Chapter 1 - THE MAN BEHIND THE DOORThe three men entered the private dining room without knocking.
Tessa froze.
One of them shut the door behind him.
The other two positioned themselves near Salvatore as if they had done it a thousand times before.
Nobody spoke.
For the first time since entering the room, Tessa became aware of the chandelier above her, the silverware beside Salvatore's plate, the expensive wine she had just poured.
Everything suddenly seemed absurdly fragile.
She looked at Salvatore.
He was no longer smiling.
His expression had changed so completely that she almost wondered whether the man who had smiled at her moments earlier had ever existed.
He signed something quickly.
The nearest man nodded.
Then Salvatore looked at Tessa.
“Sit down.”
She blinked.
He repeated it.
“You're safer sitting.”
Tessa hesitated.
“I have customers outside.”
Salvatore gave a brief, humorless smile.
“You had coworkers outside.”
The distinction sent a chill down her spine.
She sat.
One of the men placed a folded black jacket on the chair beside her.
Another locked the door.
Tessa swallowed.
“What is happening?”
Salvatore leaned back.
“Your manager has been working for someone who wants me dead.”
Her heart stumbled.
“What?”
He signed again.
“And tonight, he used you to get close.”
Tessa stared at him.
“That doesn't make sense.”
Salvatore tapped the leather folder on the table.
He pushed it toward her.
Inside was a photograph.
Her photograph.
Tessa's fingers went cold.
There were several pictures of her leaving the restaurant.
One showed her walking home.
Another showed her buying groceries.
Another showed her standing outside the apartment she shared with her younger brother, Evan.
She looked up sharply.
“Why do you have these?”
Salvatore's jaw tightened.
“Because someone else had them first.”
A horrible thought entered her mind.
“Who's watching me?”
Salvatore didn't answer.
He simply opened another file.
Inside was a photograph of Evan.
Taken from across the street.
Tessa shot to her feet.
“No.”
Salvatore caught her wrist before she could reach the door.
His grip was firm but surprisingly gentle.
“You cannot leave this room.”
“My brother is at home.”
“I know.”
The words landed like a gunshot.
Tessa pulled her wrist free.
“How do you know where he lives?”
Salvatore looked directly into her eyes.
“Because whoever is after me has been watching your family for six months.”
The room tilted.
Six months.
That meant before tonight.
Before Salvatore had ever met her.
Before she had ever spoken to him.
“Why?”
Salvatore's expression hardened.
“Because of your brother.”
Tessa stared at him.
“Evan has nothing to do with you.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Salvatore looked toward the locked door.
Then back at her.
“Because your brother saw something he wasn't supposed to see.”
Tessa stopped breathing.
She had spent years protecting Evan.
She had taken extra shifts.
Paid his medical bills.
Learned ASL because she had promised their parents, before they died, that Evan would never have to navigate the world alone.
Evan had never told her anything about seeing something.
“What did he see?”
Salvatore reached for his phone.
Before he could unlock it, the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then everything went black.
A muffled crash sounded from somewhere outside.
Tessa gasped.
The men immediately drew their weapons.
Salvatore moved in front of her.
In darkness, his hand found hers.
He signed against her palm.
Stay behind me.
She barely had time to read the movement before the private room door exploded inward.
A gunshot cracked through the restaurant.
Glass shattered.
Someone screamed.
Salvatore shoved Tessa behind the table.
Another shot tore through the wall.
Then silence.
Tessa's breathing became ragged.
Salvatore leaned close.
He could not hear her.
But he could see her terror.
His fingers moved.
Are you hurt?
She shook her head.
Then someone outside shouted.
“MARQUETTI!”
Salvatore's face turned murderous.
A man's voice followed.
“We don't want you tonight.”
A pause.
Then:
“We want the girl.”
Tessa's blood ran cold.
Salvatore looked at her.
For the first time, she saw something beneath the coldness in his eyes.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
May you like
He signed four words.
They're here for you.
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